就地取材 (jiù dì qǔ cái) — to use local materials; to draw on available resources on the spot

Definition

A chengyu meaning to use whatever is already on the spot — local materials, people, or resources. Note the literal structure: 就地 ('on the spot') + 取材 ('draw on materials'), so it can be used flexibly, not only for physical materials.

verb
to use local materialsto draw on available resources on the spot

Examples

  • 就地取材，。
    Zhè ge cūn zi jiù dì qǔ cái, yòng zhú zi jiàn le yí zuò qiáo.
    This village used local materials to build a bridge out of bamboo.
  • 就地取材，。
    Dǎo yǎn jué dìng jiù dì qǔ cái, qǐng dāng dì yǎn yuán lái pāi zhè bù diàn yǐng.
    The director decided to use local talent and hired local actors for this film.
  • 就地取材，。
    Wǒ men jiù dì qǔ cái, yòng jiù mù tou zuò le yì zhāng zhuō zi.
    We used materials on hand and made a table from old wood.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

就地on the spot
就jiùnear地dìplace
动宾Verb + object
取材take materials
取qǔtake材cáimaterial
动宾Verb + object

就地 (on the spot) and 取材 (take materials) combine to mean using nearby materials.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái材cái
Same sound today

材 combines 木, wood, with 才, cái, as its sound part.

Open 材 →

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